th350, rebuild or new?
Thread Starter
On The Tree
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 144
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th350, rebuild or new? This winter I am removing the 283 sbc for the 5.3l I just picked up.
The th350 tranny I have in there now seems to operate fine, every once and a while I will put it into any gear and nothing will happen for about a minute, other then that it seems fine. I do not know the history on the tranny though.
I am debating on rebuilding this tranny myself, or having it rebuilt, or buying a completly new tranny.
The car is a 71 vw bug, weight about 2000-2250 lbs?, 2.75 rear gear, primary street driven, I might swap cams in the 5.3l but thats probibly it.
I would like a tranny I could go out and have fun, beat it up a little(or alot) and not have it break. I am also thinking full manual valve body?
any ideas or suggestions would be great!!
I am trying to do this on a budget, so cheap is good!
The th350 tranny I have in there now seems to operate fine, every once and a while I will put it into any gear and nothing will happen for about a minute, other then that it seems fine. I do not know the history on the tranny though.
I am debating on rebuilding this tranny myself, or having it rebuilt, or buying a completly new tranny.
The car is a 71 vw bug, weight about 2000-2250 lbs?, 2.75 rear gear, primary street driven, I might swap cams in the 5.3l but thats probibly it.
I would like a tranny I could go out and have fun, beat it up a little(or alot) and not have it break. I am also thinking full manual valve body?
any ideas or suggestions would be great!!
I am trying to do this on a budget, so cheap is good!
First thing, check the fluid. It needs to be checked while the car is running, and after you have gone through all of the gears 2 times, spending 1-2 seconds in all ranges. Check the lvl, if its a bit low, but above the admark, leave it, as it warms up, it WILL expand.
Check to see that the fluid is read, and that when you whipe the dipstick clean, only read fluid comes off, not a brown powder floating in it (frictions wearing).
TH350s are so cheap, and easy to find. Ive ran two in my thirdgen. Both where stock, with unknown maitanice, and mileage. I would drop the pan, and check the "goo" in the bottom, if it was less than a tablespoon, I would toss in a shiftkit, and put the tranny in. The first one I swaped out becuase it would slip if I downshifted into second, but with a tap of the trottle it would catch and take off. That tranny was also building up lots of wear material in the pan, but still held strong, and shifted great.
If your going to spend the money on a maual valve body, I would just get a fully built th350 from a builder. Should run you more than $750 w/o converter.
Check to see that the fluid is read, and that when you whipe the dipstick clean, only read fluid comes off, not a brown powder floating in it (frictions wearing).
TH350s are so cheap, and easy to find. Ive ran two in my thirdgen. Both where stock, with unknown maitanice, and mileage. I would drop the pan, and check the "goo" in the bottom, if it was less than a tablespoon, I would toss in a shiftkit, and put the tranny in. The first one I swaped out becuase it would slip if I downshifted into second, but with a tap of the trottle it would catch and take off. That tranny was also building up lots of wear material in the pan, but still held strong, and shifted great.
If your going to spend the money on a maual valve body, I would just get a fully built th350 from a builder. Should run you more than $750 w/o converter.
